Arc GTC Board Meeting

Hi Everyone,

I tried to post this yesterday before the Board meeting. I had it all written and when I was ready to hit "send" the power went out. for the last 4 evenings the power has been out in the entire country. Anyhow, after the fact, here are some comments intended for the Board meeting:

Hello from Africa

Sorry to miss the Board meeting but Kim has me on assignment in Zambia. I truly wish that you were all here too because the only way you can understand the need and the relevance to our work is to be here and see and feel what I have had the opportunity to experience over the past many days.

I had hoped to upload a lot more photos and perhaps video but the internet connection here is fragmented at best and extremely slow – though high speed for Zambians. I promise to prepare a short slide show for you to watch at an upcoming BOD meeting.

I can tell you that the hard work of the Arc and its leadership over the years has truly paid off for persons with disabilities in our country. We have made remarkable progress over the years. Yet, the reality of services in the US and the many frustrations we all feel over them and discuss at Board meetings is simply irrelevant in the Zambian context. These children and adults merely want an opportunity to exist, to be fed, to have a place to call home and to be seen as a person. Any child in Zambia is thrilled by the opportunity to be educated and only a few children with disabilities have these opportunities. The schools and services I have seen are institutions, mostly residential schools. The children receive some education (but they only have teachers if the government recognizes the school and assigns teachers).

We certainly worry about the many things in the US that are simply not issues here in Zambia – liability, litigation, regulations, supervision, qualifications. Yet we both seem to worry about funding……. This is ironic to me and I am having a hard time reconciling it in my mind and heart. The enormous wealth of the US and we still never feel we have enough money.

I am recognizing each day that there are many lessons we can learn from the Zambians. The church as the “community” for Zambian people is essential. Church communities and extended families take care of the needs of their family members. The Zambian missionaries and lay people that are serving others seem to recognize the risk of entitlements and how often entitlements can create unnecessary dependency. Interdependence among families, extended families and among the children with and without disabilities has been ever-present in every situation I have observed and experienced.

Amy